How LinkedIn Helped Me Get My Job at PayPal: 8 Tips for a Great LinkedIn
Profile
I started using LinkedIn when I landed my first global recruiter role. I was
working for a big hardware company, and one of my first tasks was to find a
sales manager for a country in Latin America. I remember the sense of
“recruitment magic” of having profiles of candidates from all over
the world at the tip of your fingers.
Over the years, I continuously updated my profile, promoted articles, posted
about different professional opportunities and conferences I participated in,
and built my professional brand on LinkedIn. Around five years ago, I found a
short message from a recruiter in my LinkedIn messaging inbox, inviting me to
chat about a new opportunity. This opportunity was with PayPal, I went through
an interview process and accepted the role of Regional Recruitment Manager (to
learn more about PayPal interview process click here. Today, I have been with PayPal for five years and have had the
opportunity to move into global roles, pursue further education, work with
wonderful teams and further develop my career. What I love the most about
PayPal is the caring culture and the “One team” approach.
LinkedIn is a powerful job search and business network, with more than 930
million users worldwide. This is the place to build your professional profile.
Being active on LinkedIn can open the door to job opportunities and
connections that can contribute to your career. So, where should you start? If
you’re just starting with LinkedIn and don’t know where to begin,
I would recommend using the LinkedIn profile recommendations to take the first
steps. LinkedIn grades each profile, and by following automatic
recommendations to achieve an “All-Star” grade, you will be on the
right path to perfecting your profile.
If you are already a LinkedIn user and want some tips on what can make your
profile stand out to recruiters and hiring managers, here are some tips:.
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Choose the right profile photo: Your profile picture is the
first thing people see. Select a high-quality image where you appear
professional (hint: no sunglasses or beach selfies). Pro tip: You can use
various AI-based applications to enhance a simple selfie photo and make your
profile picture more polished.
-
Think about your headline: Many people tend just to list
their job title, but your LinkedIn headline can also include your main
skills and your aspired role. Pro tip: make sure to use keywords relevant to
your expertise to be easily found in searches.
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Don’t forget the profile summary: For some reason,
this part is left empty in many profiles. Your LinkedIn summary is your
personal elevator pitch. Highlight your achievements, skills, and unique
value proposition. You can also add hashtags for topics you are
interested in, and links to your personal website and portfolio. Pro tip:
Add a line about your hobbies and interests to establish a more personal
connection with your audience.
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Showcase your experience: In your "Experience" section, you
should list your relevant positions. Treat this part in a similar way to
your CV, elaborating on your roles and responsibilities. Use bullet points
for easy reading. Pro tip: Incorporate your key achievements into each role
and add example links to your projects.
-
It’s all about skills: many of the search
functionalities in Linkedin are based on skills search. List your skills to
enable others to find you easily. Request endorsements from colleagues who
can validate your abilities as those build credibility for your expertise.
Pro tip: LinkedIn allows you to feature a limited number of skills, so think
carefully and consider the main skills that you want to highlight and that
also fit your job aspirations.
-
Build connections: I know that starting to expand your
network can seem challenging or daunting, but remember that LinkedIn is a
business network, and people expect to be contacted. Ways to expand your
network can include using past workplaces or schools to identify people you
might know, using your personal email to upload a list of contacts, and
engaging with LinkedIn groups relevant to your interests. Do not hesitate to
connect with people you meet at events and conferences (let me tell you a
secret, I used the LinkedIn connection request to start a conversation at
professional events, it’s a great ice breaker!). Pro tip: Send a
personalised connection request, by adding a short sentence about why you
would like to connect – those have a better chance of being accepted.
-
Share content: This is the part many people find
challenging; they're unsure what to share. You can always start small by
sharing articles and industry news or other people's posts you relate to.
The next step will be to create your own content, this can be industry
insights you have, sharing a professional experience or reporting on a great
event you attended such as a workshop or conference. Additionally, you can
post about your company events, news, and community contributions.
Consistency is key, so aim to post regularly (at least once per week) and
engage with comments on your content. Pro tip: Use the Buffer app to share
articles and news and schedule the posts for specific weekdays.
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Be active: Lastly, stay active on LinkedIn. Respond to
messages and comments on your posts, and engage and comment on other
people's content. Pro tip: Engaging with comments on your posts increases
the post's reach.
Your LinkedIn profile is part of your professional “business
card”. It’s worth the effort to invest in your profile, as a
strong profile can open the door to career opportunities and connections you
might not find in other social networks. Every journey starts with small
steps, remember you can start with some simple steps and improve your profile
over time.
Have a question? Don’t hesitate to find me on LinkedIn
and connect directly.